Arts Minister Mitch Fifield.
The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Equity director Zoe Angus has praised Labor and the Greens for their arts policies and blasted the Coalition for its lack of one.
Speaking about Wednesday's National Arts Debate in Melbourne, Angus called it “extremely disappointing" that Arts Minister Mitch Fifield was "given numerous opportunities to outline the Coalition’s arts policy for the election, but he declined to do so."
"In fact, Senator Fifield was so evasive on this issue that it appears the Coalition will not have an arts policy and is missing in action."
The evasive tag echoes complaints IF has been hearing from screen industry leaders for some time.
“All Senator Fifield had to say today was a growing and prosperous economy would provide an environment for innovative arts and cultural industries," Angus said. "This type of trickle down economics is no substitute for a real arts funding policy."
“If it is to be the case that the Coalition will not unveil a policy, it would be another significant let down for Australia’s performing arts and screen sectors following the cuts to funding for the Australia Council and Screen Australia over the past two years.”
“Both Labor and the Greens understand that arts funding is an investment in a creative and innovative industry with substantial flow-on benefits for the economy and society.”
“These policies would restore not only funding, but predictability to an arts sector that has been wracked by turmoil over the past two-plus years.
“Ultimately on election day, voters will need to judge the parties by both their past actions and by the substance of what they would do in the future.”